First noticed by Alpha Beta Gamer (opens in new tab), impartial developer Sebastian “aare” Laitila found a novel concept throughout the 2022 Haunted PS1 Halloween Sport Jam (opens in new tab): the traditional desktop time waster Minesweeper, however zoomed into a primary particular person perspective and gussied up with low-fi 3D graphics and a gothic vampire horror theme.
The Infernal Masquerade (opens in new tab), which is obtainable totally free on itch.io, casts you as a vampire hunter in a nineteenth century masquerade ball. As an alternative of uncovering tiles and planting flags on possible mines, you pull the masks of human friends whereas pinning roses on suspected vampires, with useful friends asserting what number of vampires they’re standing close to.
I discovered the brand new perspective actually slowed down my play, and I used to be much more ginger with my resolution making than in regular Minesweeper. Aare additionally does rather a lot with a little bit with regards to the sport’s presentation. I am undecided I am going to ever get uninterested in the Haunted PS1 throwback look, and the Infernal Masquerade’s creepy atmosphere does rather a lot to play up the inherent pressure in Minesweeper’s educated guesswork.
I am additionally fairly keen on the goofy names generated for the celebration friends. You are going through down inscrutable opponents with names like “Maddox Bryan,” “Jerome Charles,” or “Maxim Andrade.” It offers me main Fighting Baseball on the Super Famicom (opens in new tab) vitality, a definite “Bobson Dugnutt” vibe.
Along with the free sport jam construct on itch.io, aare can also be engaged on a extra substantial model of the sport to be launched on Steam (opens in new tab). The upcoming model will function enhanced graphics extra consistent with PS2-era video games, in addition to new techniques to reward speedy vampire unmasking.
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